Fetal development during the first month
The 40 week countdown begins on the first day of your last menstrual period, even though you’re not yet pregnant. Conception won’t occur until around week two, though you won’t feel pregnant right away. By week three, your pregnancy will consist of a fertilized egg inside your uterus. Your baby’s genetics have already been determined. Around seven to 10 days after conception, implantation will occur. The embryo is now embedded in the lining of your womb. The brain, spinal cord and heart are already starting to develop.

By week four, your baby’s spine and organs are starting to develop. The placenta is developing too, and this will allow nutrients to reach your baby during the pregnancy. The placenta will also start producing the pregnancy hormone, hCG, so you may start to notice early symptoms of pregnancy around this time. Morning sickness, fatigue and a heightened sense of smell are all common during this time.

Fetal development during the second month
Your baby’s heart will start beating sometime around day 21. By week five, your baby’s facial features are starting to develop. By week six, your baby looks like one of those tadpole-like fetuses you may remember from science lessons. Your baby may only be around the size of a grain of rice, but the arm and leg buds are starting to form.

In week seven, your baby’s tooth buds, pancreas and appendix are starting to grow. Your baby’s hair and nipple buds are even starting to develop. Your baby’s sex was determined at fertilisation, but in week eight your baby will begin to grow testes or ovaries. Your baby’s fingers, toes and tongue are starting to develop too. In this week, your baby’s bones will start to develop, as well.

Fetal development in the third month
In week nine, your baby reaches the end of the embryonic stage and officially becomes a fetus. Your baby’s organs are beginning to function now. Your baby is beginning to lose the tail, and is looking less and less like a tadpole with each passing day. In just a week the tail will have completely disappeared. Your baby’s facial features are also starting to look a little more human in week 10.

Week 11 is the start of a growth spurt, and your baby will double in size over the next three weeks. Your baby’s fingernails are developing this week. During week 11, the placenta will start functioning, circulating blood between the uterus and your baby. By week 12, your baby can kick, stretch and pull faces. Your baby’s organs are starting to work this week, and your baby has started to urinate the amniotic fluid consumed in the uterus.

Your baby develops rapidly during those first 12 weeks, and this is why some pregnant women feel exhausted during the first trimester. It’s hard work growing a person! Be sure to get plenty of rest, eat a healthy, balanced diet and stay hydrated.

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

As a breastfeeding mother, you may think you have a free pass when it comes to birth control. Many couples mistakenly presume that they won’t be able to conceive while the mom is still breastfeeding. In reality, however, plenty of breastfeeding mamas have fallen pregnant. There is no way of knowing whether you’ll be one of them, so it’s better to play safe if you don’t want to get pregnant. It seems unfair, doesn’t it? After carrying a baby for nine months, giving birth to it, feeding it and living up to your elbows in dirty diapers, you’d think mother nature would, at least, give you a few months break from worrying about getting pregnant while breastfeeding.

Whilst it’s true that many mamas find their cycles don’t return until they’ve stopped breastfeeding, there is no guarantee. If you want to avoid an unplanned pregnancy, you’ll need to use birth control when you’re breastfeeding. Some mamas find that their periods don’t return until after their child’s first birthday, but for other women, it can be just a couple of months after the birth when their cycle returns.

It’s not wise to wait until your periods start again before turning to birth control, because ovulation can occur first. Some women have already ovulated by the time they get their first period. If this happened, you could already be pregnant even before getting your first period.

Every woman is different and there is no fixed schedule to determine when your periods will return. For some women, their cycle doesn’t return until their baby is feeding less frequently, but for others, their periods return when their baby is just a couple of months old and still attached to the boob for most of the day.

How to avoid getting pregnant while breastfeeding

If you know now is not the time to add a younger sibling to your family, you’ll need to decide on a method of contraception to use. This is something usually discussed by your healthcare provider at your postpartum checkup. If it wasn’t discussed at yours or if you’d like some more advice, get in touch with your healthcare provider today. There may be some forms of contraception that are not advised for use during pregnancy. For example, estrogen can interfere with breast milk production, so your doctor may advise you to avoid the combination pill.

Trying to get pregnant while breastfeeding

If you are hoping to conceive and would like advice on how to achieve this while breastfeeding, ask your healthcare provider for advice. You may have to wait until your baby is feeding less frequently or sleeping for longer stretches until you can become pregnant, but remember, this is not always the case.

Have you spoken to your healthcare provider about contraceptive options?

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.